Fathomless Favor
by LittLetriXta
Summary: Ash wants something from Misty..but the real question is what? And what's it have to do with returning home to Pallet? And some mysterious guest...And what's gotten Ash so down? Geeze..so many questions..well the only way to answer them is to read this fi
1. Not My Idea Of A Favor

Fathomless Favor  
  
  
  
By LittLetRiXta  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon, we all know I don't and we all know who does, so enough discussion on that matter and onto the good stuff.. (heh, aint that an over-statement..)  
  
  
  
Genre: Romance/ Humor? (not really…ech)  
  
  
  
Rating: PG?- barely any use of curse words. But just to be safe I rated it PG.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Fathomless Favor  
  
  
  
Hey, This is Misty,  
  
This is my first journal entry, which is sort of spun off from my old one, so I felt it right to give a short introduction on who I am exactly. You see, my friend Ash gave me his old journal, you, as a birthday gift. How do I know? Well I'm guessing that torn edge poking out from under the fold on the first page was there for a reason. And the words 'World's Greatest Pokemon Master' scribbled out on the inner cover with little comical drawings of Pikachu doodled around it pretty much confirms those suspicions, doesn't it? You know, I never knew guys kept journals. Okay so it seems as though Ash only took the time to write down the events of his whole Pokemon journey on one page, but still.  
  
Anyways journal, I guess Ash chose the right time to give me you for a gift because a few days ago, there were a small number of things that happened which usually don't. What exactly? Well, I'm not regularly a dead target for uncommonly occurrences, but I'm pretty sure that you're 'so-called' best friend doesn't suddenly start acting -well- like a best friend out of no where for no particular reason…  
  
  
  
" Aw, come on Misty. . .What makes you think I want something? I'm just trying to be the good best friend I am so accustomed to being."  
  
"Oh, give me a break. Stop you're little game Ash, If you want something just ask me. I'm giving you an open invitation here, so might as well take it before I change my mind."  
  
They were walking again. Down yet another dusty old road to a place they weren't certain lead to their destination. But hey, there were a number of times when they weren't exactly sure whether their road led them in the right direction, but eventually they always found their way.  
  
Ash diverted his sight past Misty and focused his attention on his shoes. Well…They were black, and white, a—and black. Wait, he'd already noticed that.  
  
Realizing Ash hadn't said a thing in over a decade since the spotlight had attentively been focused on him, Misty directed her view on the boy walking beside her. She knew perfectly well what he was doing, but the thing that made her eyebrows furrow was the fact that he continued to let the silence drag on.  
  
"Ash, quit stalling and just say whatever it is you want to say."  
  
Silence.  
  
"ASH!"  
  
"What?!" Ash perked up. It was obvious he had not been listening to a word she was saying, and that further topped off the fact that he was stalling on asking her that damned question.  
  
"Quit spacing out and tell me what you need to say right now before I'm forced to beat it out of you!" Ash wrinkled his nose. Well, she didn't have to be so forceful about it. But, to think about it, when it all drawed down to things, Misty had always reckoned with force as her first option.  
  
Brock on the other hand, was making it a point to not take any part in this conversation. He'd had his own past experiences dealing with the two, that gave him enough of a clue to 'not meddle' in other peoples affairs. But when it came to Ash and Misty's little pointless quarrels, there basically weren't any affairs worth meddling to begin with. Save for the fact they were definitely interesting enough to watch. So that's what he continued to do, watch and nothing more. It was safer that way.  
  
"Fine! I-I'll say it. But you have to promise you won't get angry!" In response, Misty crossed her arms in preparation for Ash's inquiry.  
  
"Will…." But just then something else caught Ash's attention. "Look, we're here!"  
  
'Drat.' Misty thought, before looking up to see what Brock was referring to.  
  
Just what she had hoped for. It would be a good week or so before she'd ever have to set foot in a dirty lake just to take a bath. No more waking up with dirt in her mouth, no more listening to the drowning noises of crickets which were most likely calls of "I fully intend to keep you up for the rest of the night Misty, so don't even bother to plug you're ears." Yes, all would be good now that they were finally standing in Pallet territory.  
  
But the strange thing that she'd noticed lately was that Ash wasn't as thrilled about returning to his home town as she was. To think about it, just the mention of the words 'Pallet' brought Ash's face to an awkward droopy looking expression. It was strange really. Who wouldn't be happy that they were returning home after yet another long journey? The only thing that could've snapped Ash into thinking that going back home so soon was a bad idea would have to do with that call that Ash received the day before. She really didn't catch any of it, except for the "Hello Misty!" From Mrs. Ketchum, but she was certain there had to be more to that conversation then meets the eye.  
  
They were standing on the familiar cliff looking out over Pallet town, and it was though they were waiting for Ash to do the traditional 'home again' yelp.  
  
"So, what're we waiting for?" Brock asked, who looked at Misty who then in turn looked towards Ash.  
  
"Ash?" There was a pause for a second, and Ash's face was noticeably pale, but quickly answered with a cheerfully false, "Pallet Town here we come!"  
  
No sooner were they down the hill and into the depths of Pallet and walking down the road toward Ash's house.  
  
Every now and then Misty caught herself glancing sideways to look at Ash's gray expression that seemed to be latched onto his face. Misty frowned.  
  
"Ash, what's wrong? Usually you're feet ahead of Brock and I when you know you're house is just down this road. You look as if you're walking toward the pit of death. Come on, you can't fool us. What's the matter, do you not wanna' see you're mom?" Misty asked slightly irritated by Ash's gloomy state.  
  
"No! Of course I wanna see her. Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Well if it isn't that, then what's the problem?"  
  
"I- I can't tell you."  
  
"Is it because you haven't worn clean underwear everyday?" Brock pitched in.  
  
"NO! Brock!" Ash yelled turning red in the process.  
  
"Does it have to do with whatever it was you wanted from me?" Misty asked.  
  
" Sorta'. . ." Misty frowned again 'Sorta.' Was not good enough for her. She decided she needed a strait answer, and Ash was going to give it to her even if she had to threaten to beat it out of him for the second time that evening.  
  
"Ash.." Misty said stopping him with his shoulders. He was blushing again. "Look…It-It's just something to do with someone who happens to be visiting the same time we are."  
  
Misty thought about it for a minute. Who could it be to scare Ash so much like that? An Uncle? No. An Aunt? No. His grandmother? She wasn't even aware if Ash even had a grandmother for that matter..  
  
"It's this girl named Avery, who's suppose to be the daughter of one of my Mom's friends. My mom told me she's going to be staying at our house for about a week because her parents are out of town for their Anniversary, and they didn't want to leave her in the house alone. So that's why she's coming. She's a total pain, and she touches all of my stuff and she acts like she has some kind of crush on me, which completely grosses me out, and I hate her, hate her, hate her." Ash finished off.  
  
Once Ash was sure he'd gotten all of the lost oxygen back into his system, he looked up towards his friends who seemed to be taking the whole thing a lot differently then he was. In other words, they looked as if they were about to laugh till their heads snapped off.  
  
"It's not funny!!" Ash yelled in annoyance. "Sheesh, you guys practically beat my problems out of me, and when I finally tell you what's the problem, you laugh at me. Good friends you are." Ash said in attempt to give his two friends the old 'kicked puppy' look.  
  
"Aw, Ash. If you were scared of some girl, you should a' just said so." Misty replied after loosing most of her giggles.  
  
"I didn't say I'm scared of her!! She just—gets on my nerves. That's all.."  
  
" Still, what do you want ME to do about all of this?" Misty asked.  
  
She noticed the sideways glance Ash made and scrunched her nose. She was starting to get pretty annoyed by all this 'stalling' business.  
  
"If you don't tell me, then I can't do it."  
  
"Ok! Ok! I. . ." Realizing the essence of the whole situation, Brock turned his attention to Ash, and awaited his response as impatiently as Misty. A few minutes later Ash still hadn't said a thing, and the suspense was starting to eat at Misty like a piranha to human flesh.  
  
"ASH-"  
  
"I need you to act like my girlfriend."  
  
Misty froze. Brock froze. Pikachu froze. Everything sort of hushed itself for a moment, minus the unexplainable purrs coming from Togepi. Ash's response was not what Misty had expected, nor what anyone expected for that matter. Why couldn't it have been that Ash needed some extra cash for a candy bar or something, or a partner to battle with later. Why did it have to be that he wanted her to pretend to be his girlfriend. She'd never done acting, unless you count the mermaid show back in Cerulean. But all she had to do was swim around. That was simple stuff. But to pretend to be someone's girlfriend. . . She hadn't even had experience in actually being someone's girlfriend. But there was one thing that was certain. . . That visit was going to be a lot more interesting then they planned. . .  
  
  
  
To Be Continued. . .  
  
A.N: Hah. I don't know WHERE this came from. The idea's probably been used millions of times, but in different ways. And I know this, so there's no need reminding me. If you guys like it, I'll go ahead and put in the next chapter. But the only way I can tell whether or not you guys like it is if you review. So please, for the sake of Ash's humanity..(okay maybe not THAT extreme) please review. On a different note, thanks for reading, you guys are saints!  
  
-LittLe~tRiXta 


	2. Convince Me, Convince Me Not

Fathomless Favor  
  
  
  
By LittLetRiXta  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon, we all know I don't and we all know who does, so enough discussion on that matter and onto the good stuff.. (heh, aint that an over-statement..)  
  
  
  
Genre: Romance/ Humor? (This chapter won't be really funny. Sort of more on the general/dramatic/suspense side then under the humor category. I think.)  
  
Rating: PG?- barely any use of curse words. But just to be safe I rated it PG.  
  
A.N: I LOVE you all for those great reviews! I didn't think chapter one would hit people so hard enough to review! Thanks a million times and more. I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as the last!   
  
-Me   
  
  
  
  
  
Fathomless Favor- Chapter Two: Convince Me, Convince Me Not  
  
  
  
Hey, Me again,  
  
I'm completely exhausted. Ash doesn't have a clue how lucky he is that I agreed to his little 'pretend' game. Yea, that's right. I still can't believe it myself, but I actually agreed to be Ash's 'So-Called Girlfriend'. But don't get me wrong, I didn't exactly say "yes" right away. I mean, Here was this boy, willing to do anything just to get me to pretend to be his girlfriend. Ash was practically puddy in my fingers. And so, being the evil genius I am, I decided to take this opportunity into my own hands...  
  
  
"No."   
  
"But, Misstyyyyyy..."  
  
"Ash! I said 'NO'. Now let go of me."  
  
They were standing in front of Ash's house and Misty already had her hand on the gate, but something -rather- someone, was stopping her.  
  
"Misty, you HAVE to do this for me! Who else am I gonna' get to do it?"   
  
Misty thought for a moment and her attention immediately turned to Brock.  
  
"NO! No way!" Ash said, loosening his grip on Misty and slowly backing away.  
  
"Why not? All it takes is a little makeup and a dress." Misty said sizing Brock down.  
  
"Sorry guys, you two are alone on this one." Brock said taking a step back. "I love the women and -heh- obviously the women love me but, I definitely don't love impersonating them."  
  
"See. You gotta' do this Mist'. I got no other options." Ash begged. Why did he have to call her 'Mist'? That always got to her.   
  
"Okay Ash, say I DO go through with this. She'll still find out eventually. Besides, what'll you're mother think when she suddenly notices us holding hands and making kissy faces to one another? Huh? What then, Ash?"  
  
She got him there. There was no way they'd be able to prance around the house like two love sick puppies without Ash's mother once noticing it.   
  
"We'll just fill her in on the everything. She'll understand, and we don't need to kiss eatchother or nothn'."   
  
" Uh huh! Yea. I can see it now. 'Oh sure Ash, I'm perfectly fine with you and Misty pretending to be an item just so you can break the heart of my dear friend's daughter. I just LOVE the idea of you lying you're head off to this poor girl for the sake of your own sanity'." Misty recited in a high pitched imitation of Ash's mother.   
  
"Very funny." Ash sarcastically replied as he watched Misty pull the gate open.  
  
"You know Ash, you really don't have anything to worry about. One look at the Brock-man and she'll be all over me. That'll leave you free to make you're get away. But on the other hand, I would like to see you and Misty try to pull this thing off." Brock said following behind Misty and Ash.  
  
"Shut it, Brock." Came Ash and Misty's simultaneous reply.  
  
Ash was first to knock on the door, but no one answered. He assumed his Mom must've been washing the dishes, or doing the laundry, or anything else that most mothers tend to do, so he waited a bit longer. Another minute passed, and nothing. Ash raised his hand at another attempt to knock on the door, but was surprised when the door swung open to reveal..  
  
"Mime."  
  
Instead of Ash's mother standing in the center of the door frame, it was Mr. Mime.  
  
"Hey Mime, How's it going?"   
  
"Mime." That was definitely a strongly anticipated answer.  
  
The next moment Ash heard a familiar voice that he hadn't hear in what felt like ages, (but was really only four weeks.)  
  
"Who is it Mimie?" Ash saw the usual cheerful face of his mother, Delia.   
  
"Mom!" Ash said in the act of falling forward into his mother's awaiting arms. Unfortunately, Delia's arms weren't exactly awaiting Ash's forward motion, and the boy fell face flat onto the hard wooden floor of the front door's entrance.   
  
"Hello, Pikachu! Would you like me to fix you up a little something to eat? You must be starving after that long journey." Ash's mom said while scooping the small electric mouse into her arms.  
  
"Mom!" Ash whined while trying to pick himself up.   
  
Delia immediately turned around at the call of her name and smiled at Ash unnoticeably.   
  
"Oh, Hi Ash." Delia replied calmly as she proceeded into the kitchen with Pikachu in her arms.  
  
"Same old Mom." Ash recited noting the strong sense of De Ja Vu before following Misty and Brock into the living room.  
  
The living room was arranged the same exact way. Lamp; same place. Couch; same place. It gave Ash the same familiar sense he always got when he walked into the living room after a long journey. Like that 'home' feeling that most everyone got. Ash turned to look at Misty. He had a feeling whatever was making her face do that smashed lemon look wasn't because of furniture.   
  
Brock glanced over to Ash's motionless form. He was staring into thin air with little beads of sweat falling in thin streams down the side of his face and he was completely oblivious to it. While Misty, on the other hand, looked as if she were busy laying out the ground rules of their little 'Operation Avery Abolition' in her head.  
  
  
"I'll. . . go help your Mom with Pikachu." Brock said before looking back and forth between his two friends. The tension was undoubtedly noticeable. But of course, they were too deep in thought to notice.  
  
Moments after Brock's quick leave, Ash was brought to attention by Misty's sudden shout:  
  
"IF! I do this. . . what're YOU going to do for me in return?"   
  
'Shoot.' Ash was hoping she wouldn't remember that part of the deal. Anyway, it was no surprise, seeing as how Misty always seemed to remember whether or not Ash was in store for a good show of utter humiliation.  
  
She was waiting for him to answer. That was obvious. She was practically smothering him with mental replies of 'Well?' and "Quit stalling!". But he wasn't stalling. To be honest, he had absolutely no idea of what it was he would be stalling for to begin with. She was giving him an open opportunity to conjure up his own 'return of favor' be it not as harsh as something Misty would think up. To even think of Misty's idea of a 'payback' made him squirm like there was no tomorrow.   
  
"Fine. You clearly can't think of anything so I'll just-"  
  
"No wait!! I-I'll give you two bags of my chocolate covered Pikachus'"   
  
"Not good enough."  
  
"Um, I'll. . . Do the dishes!"   
  
"This is your house."  
  
"Shoot, I forgot."  
  
"I'll. . . I'll . . ." What in cripes sakes did he have to do to seal the deal?  
  
'Think Ash. What do girls like. Makeup? Dresses? No. The closest thing to a dress I've caught her in was a kimono. This is Misty we're dealing with here. She's not into that type of stuff. Hmm, what's something that Misty's always wanted from me, but I've never been able to give to her. . . ."  
  
After two minutes and twenty more seconds of thought the only traces of Ash were the footprints burned into his carpet leading out his front door.   
  
  
  
An Hour and Twenty Minutes Later. . . .   
  
  
  
"Gee Ash, It's a really nice thought and all, but don't you think it's a little. . .small?"   
  
Misty hoped that Ash wouldn't take the act of kindness in the wrong way, but he must have noticed what was wrong about the gift when he bought it.   
  
"But you always used to say how you wanted a new bike, and since you started to forget about it I thought it'd be a good surprise."  
  
Misty looked down at the bicycle propped up in front of her. It was beautiful and completely new, she had to give him that. But the only problem was that it was ten sizes to small, and looked as if it was originally intended for a child between the ages of three and five. Ash knelt down beside the bike and gave a quick tap to the bell attached to the bike handles and looked up to Misty with a smile.  
  
"See, it's blue like the ocean. Just how you like it." Whoever said flattery gets a person no where must have never experienced it himself, because actually, flattery worked quite well. Although, it was a little hard for Misty to take in all this flattery without the feeling of guilt tugging at her sleeve. The idea of Ash pouring gifts at her feet seemed like a good idea at the time, but she never really thought he'd actually put some meaning into it.   
  
'Now, what do I do? Accept it without reply and hope Ash never notices that I haven't once ridden it since he gave it to me? Accept it graciously and hope to salvage some dignity when Ash makes me ride it through out the rest of our entire journey? Or do I just tell him the truth and hope his reaction isn't as hurt as I imagine it being?' None of those options sounded particularly good at the moment.  
  
With all her thoughts in the clouds, Misty almost jumped to Ash's sudden response to her reactions. "I know that it's not exactly what you'd expect out of a repayment for your old one, but the bikes at the shop in town weren't exactly priced the way I expected them to be. It was all I could afford for now." Ash said smiling weakly.  
  
Misty stared at the boy, then bent down to be level with him. "Ash," Misty said putting a hand on his shoulder. "I might not always be there to lie for you. You're going to have to tell her sometime." Ash looked up. "I know, but you have no idea what this girl's like. After this visit there might not be a next time for me to lie again. Please Mist'. Just this once. Then I promise I won't ask you to do anything like this for me ever again."   
  
Misty was silent for a minute. Then she saw the small bicycle out of the corner of her eye.   
  
"Okay." She answered finally. "But! Just this once." And with that Ash smiled and pulled Misty into a suffocating bear hug. She hadn't expected it at first, and all she could react with was an incoherent cough that sounded like 'your welcome'.   
  
Soon Dinner was ready and the two kids (along with Pikachu and Togepi) joined Brock and Ash's Mother in the kitchen. Salisbury Steak and a mean mashed potato with peas dinner sure took away the whole conflict of Avery coming and Ash's hopefully secure plan to get her off his back for a few days. And the whole 'convincing Misty to "PRETEND" to be Ash's girlfriend' thing was out of the way. Now if they could only figure out a way to get Ash's Mother into all of the confusion without -actually- letting her know what their plan was intended for, everything would be smooth sailing. . .right?   
  
  
  
To Be Continued. . .  
  
  
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took a while, but I was having a little 'non-writer's block'. But Now it's done. And hopefully your satisfied for the time being. I'm having a little trouble in the 'humor' area of the story, BUT! Don't worry people, I'll try to keep it less dull then I tend to make stories! I'm not exactly sure what's in store for the next chapter, but let's just say that Ash's conflicts have yet to begin!   
P.SSSSS....Thanks a bajillion (is there sucha' number?) times for all the reviews!! They are truly great happiness boosters! 


	3. Not Exactly My Kind Of Training

Fathomless Favor  
  
  
  
By LittLetRiXta  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon, we all know I don't and we all know who does, so enough discussion on that matter and onto the good stuff.. (heh, aint that an over-statement..)  
  
  
  
Genre: Romance/ Humor? (This chapter won't be really funny. Sort of more on the general/dramatic/suspense side then under the humor category. I think.)  
  
Author's Note: Once again…Replies were great…I love them all, and you were all so sweet to write them! Yes, yes…I know…I know…I said I wouldn't take long to get this chapter in, but SATs were dragging me down a bit. BUT, here it is! So, enjoy this chapter and whatever's comes with it!  
  
Litt-Trix  
  
  
  
Fathomless Favor- Chapter Three: Not Exactly My Kind Of Training…  
  
  
  
Hey, It's Misty,  
  
You know Journal, I just realized something. I've had you for a whole, what, three days now? And I still haven't named you yet. Okay, I'm perfectly aware of the fact that you are not a cat, or a dog and I can't expect to name you as if you were some kind of pet, but since I'm going to be pouring all of my life's moments into you, I might as well have something better to call you then "Journal." I mean, what if I lost you or something. How would I be able to tell you apart from anyone else's. Tell me Journal, how many Diary bearing people out there write "Dear Journal," Or "Dear Diary," ? My point exactly. So, now the only thing left to do is find you a worthy name. What about… Gary? Ha! Yea right. I'd like to see the look on Ash's face if I told him I'd named the Diary he gave me after his so called "Mortal Enemy". Now let's see…I know! Togepi. That's perfect, because I always told Togepi most of what I needed to let out before I had you. And since I speak to Togepi and she never says anything back, It fits just perfectly, because I tell you things, but you never respond. Well, let's face it. You can't. But, that's not the point. Togepi's the fit, and so Togepi it is. So, anyway, back to the goods.  
  
Anyway, remember that Avery girl I mentioned, Togepi? Of course you do. Well, She's supposedly coming in three days and the only trouble (besides her all together) is the fact that neither I or Ash have had any experience in the ever so important "relationship business", so, Brock, being the so- called "Love Genius" offered to help us out. Hah, I thought I'd never see the day Ash and I would be asking BROCK for relationship advice…  
  
  
  
"Miiiiissssty…. Do we really havta' do this? I feel stupid." Ash whined.  
  
"Yes, Come on. You asked me to help you, so If were going to make this believable we have to do things right. Now, hurry up and grab my hand." Misty urged as Ash, unwillingly, but very aware of the ten pound, steal plated, mallet in close proximity, grabbed the girl's hand.  
  
"You know, your pretty bossy for someone who's supposed to be my 'girlfriend'." Ash muttered, but was ignored despite his unflattering comment.  
  
"Okay Brock, we're locked up. Now what?" Misty asked turning to the "Love Genius" himself.  
  
"Let's see. Now, walk around a little. Hands still locked!" Brock directed. Honestly, He had no idea what he was teaching the two helpless teens to do, seeing as how he had never been in a relationship before, and couldn't base all actions on previous experiences. But none the less he was having a ball using Ash and Misty as his personal Ken and Barbie.  
  
"Ouch! You stepped on my foot!"  
  
"You're the one not giving me any room to walk in with those humongo Bear claws you call feet!" Ash yelled back.  
  
"What?! You think I'm having fun with all of this? You're the one with the PALM SPRINGS! My hand is practically competing in a sweat course here!"  
  
"Well, well… YOUR STUPID!"  
  
"Oh, GOOD come back Ketchum! My heart is aching!"  
  
Brock sighed. This was going to take a lot more work then he thought. And the bigger problem was, he had no idea how to handle things. It was definitely the perfect time to make a call to an old friend.  
  
  
  
"So, let me get this strait, You guys are in town, and Ash's Mom's got a friend who has a daughter who just happens to be staying over at Ash's house at the same time you guys are, and Ash doesn't like this daughter very much because she has some kind of psycho-fanatic crush on Ash, So Ash, being in a desperate dump, took a leap and asked Misty to be his pretend girlfriend to hopefully scare off the Avery girl and forever be in Misty's debt, and Misty, on a long shot agreed, but being the naïve little teens they are, Ash and Misty have no idea how they're going to pull off this scheme because they have absolutely no experience in the couple-y area, and they asked you, and you said you'd help them, but you honestly didn't know how to help them in the first place, so now you're calling me to hopefully save you before Ash and Misty find out you've lied to them and kill you before the day's done? Am I right?"  
  
"Yea, exactly. You managed to recap everything It took me two hours to explain to you, but all in all, you pretty much got it all down."  
  
"Okay, good. But first, let me ask you one more thing."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"What made you think I know what to do?"  
  
"Nothing. I didn't. My first intention was to call the Viridian Joy, but for some reason the number she gave me isn't working." A slight smirk is heard over the phone line. "So, my only other option was to call you. I can't ask Mrs. Ketchum what to do, because Ash made me sign some kind of legal binding stating I was never to mention any of this to his Mother, and the only other number I recognized on the speed dial was Oak's. But I figured the guy's probably too old for this kind of stuff, so I asked him to let me speak to you."  
  
"Okay. So, Now that I'm here, what do you want me to do?"  
  
"Well, I figured the situation's just too interesting to keep to myself. So, hurry up and run over here and we'll figure out what to do from there."  
  
  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this. I absolutely can't believe I am doing this."  
  
"Oh shut up will you? And quit pulling so hard."  
  
"Why do I gotta' brush your hair anyway? It makes no sense. Besides, how is this gonna' convince Avery I'm your boyfriend?" Ash asked holding up the wooden paddle engulfed with red locks.  
  
They were sitting in the living room, Ash on the couch, Misty on the floor beneath him munching on a bowl of cereal. While Pikachu and Togepi sat a little further from them playing a  
  
not-so-friendly game of Yahtzee.  
  
"Just trust me. I've seen my sister's make their boyfriends brush their hair all the time. It's a simple task."  
  
"Well, if it's so simple, why do I have to practice? I mean, it's brushing hair. I think I can handle that much."  
  
"Are you sure about that?" Misty looked up to see one of Ash's rigid spikes loop over in front of him.  
  
Ash crossed his eyes. "Shut up."  
  
"You know, I'm starting to think you're getting more out of this then you let in."  
  
"I should think I'd be getting a little more out if this then you give me credit for. I'm putting my dignity aside to PRETEND to be your girlfriend if you haven't already noticed."  
  
"Whatever. For all I know you probably like it." Ash snorted.  
  
"Pah! You wish, paddle boy." Misty scoffed before reaching for the remote beside her and flipping through various morning shows. "By the way, where'd Brock run off to? I haven't seen him since our first 'lessons'."  
  
Ash stopped his continuous stroking. "Yea, when I think about it, he's been gone practically the whole morning. Probably still up in my room with that girl I saw come in this morning."  
  
"A girl? What girl?" Misty asked stopping the spoon from entering her mouth in order to turn up and look at Ash.  
  
" I dunno'. I didn't really see her face. I just saw the back of her head as she and Brock entered my room." Ash replied calmly.  
  
"Well, what'd she look like?" Misty asked turning her full attention to the new topic at hand.  
  
"Uh, well, she had really short hair. You know, kind of like yours, but shorter."  
  
"Yea…"  
  
"And, she had shorts and a t-shirt on. You know, the boyish look. Kind of like you."  
  
"WHAT?! I do NOT have a 'boyish look'." Misty protested.  
  
"Whatever. All I'm saying is she was here. And they're probably still up there in my room."  
  
"Are you sure you weren't just hallucinating? I mean, Brock? With a girl? In your room, at this very moment? That's a little hard to believe." Misty replied flinging her spoon around in the air.  
  
"Well if it's so hard to believe why don't you go up there and see for yourself?"  
  
"Fine then. I will."  
  
Letting curiosity get the better of her, Misty got up, and marched up the stairs. (Okay, so she brought her plate to the sink first. I mean, she WAS a guest in Ash's home after all.) But anyway, she marched up the stairs and tiptoed down the hallway to Ash's room. And just before Misty reached over to turn the doorknob..  
  
  
  
"Hey, Misty!"  
  
  
  
"Tracy?! B-b-but, you're not a girl."  
  
  
  
"Uh, yea. You now noticed that? Hah. Anyway, so I heard you and Ash got some kind of thing going on now, huh?"  
  
"Not exactly!…that idiot.."  
  
"Well, Brock obviously can't help you, and neither can I. So, on the way over I stopped by the Poke mart and I picked up just what ya' need." Tracy turned to Brock whose head suddenly appeared from behind the door frame.  
  
"It's called "The Five Steps to.." Brock takes a moment to flip the page, "…Fool An Un-Loved One Into Thinking You Love Another, Who's Secretly Just A Paid Actor, or Close Relative, or Friend, or Former Fiancé Who's Desperately In Need for A Little 'Pick Me Up' In Order to Get the Un-Loved- One Off the Lovee's Back!"  
  
"Okay… Thanks. I guess." Misty replied.  
  
A moment later Ash came into view with Pikachu and Togepi on each shoulder.  
  
"Hey Trace, what're you doing here?" Ash asked, while munching on a granola bar. "And where'd that girl go?"  
  
Misty quickly looked toward Ash and made a face that said, "Don't ask."  
  
"Tracy's gonna' help us out with you're little ordeal, Ash." Brock said  
  
And so, the remainder of the day was spent going over the ever sacred "Book Of… The Five steps to.." Well, you get the idea.  
  
"Step One, You and you're partner must first learn how to connect and show a sense of chemistry." Tracy read off.  
  
"But I never took science." Ash blubbered.  
  
"NOT THAT KIND OF CHEMISTRY STUPID!!" Misty roared, just about ready to bring her mallet out of temporary retirement.  
  
"Oh. Well, what then?"  
  
"Hmm…" A pacing Tracy muttered. "Let me think. First of all. The two of you have rarely been known to get through a whole conversation without once growing into argument. So.."  
  
"What are you getting at?" Misty asked.  
  
"…If you guys want to show some "chemistry", you'll have to last at least a whole two minutes talking to each other like normal people."  
  
"Great. We might as well give up. That's pretty much impossible. And I have a whole two  
  
years worth of memories to prove it." Brock sputtered out in one great huff.  
  
" All you guys have to do is talk about stuff that you both like. Like Pokemon."  
  
"Okay. Lemme' try. Hi, Ash. I like water Pokemon."  
  
"Hi Misty. You suck."  
  
"THAT'S IT!!!!" Misty yelled pulling a crowbar from out of no where and getting ready to  
  
massacre Ash.  
  
"Ash! Come on, quit playing around. We don't have a lot of time." Brock said.  
  
"Can we please just move on." Misty huffed pushing back a strand of hair and crossing her  
  
arms.  
  
"Okay. I guess we could go back to that later. Uh…Step Two. You and your "so-called spouse" must be ready to give the main point in target the necessary information stating the specific place and time you and you're partner began the "pretend relationship."  
  
"What the hell does that mean?"  
  
"It means, Ash, that if Avery asks specific questions like "Where did you guys meet and when?" you and Misty must be prepared to answer without any confusion. Like in a case where the both of you respond with two different answers."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So Ash, when did you meet?" Tracy asked.  
  
"UHH.. Three years ago.. Or was it four.." Ash muttered.  
  
"Let's just say four." Tracy replied growing slightly irritable.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Okay. Misty where did you meet Ash?" Brock asked.  
  
"I met Ash …" Slight pause. ".. When I fished him out of some river." Misty ended with a  
  
grin.  
  
" Not exactly romantic. But it'll do."  
  
"Okay. Step Three.. You and your partner must be able to show complete comfort in the other's presence, and not be afraid to show signs of affection when in public."  
  
  
  
"So, what're we suppose to do?" Said Ash.  
  
  
  
"It means you're supposed to touch each other a lot in public. So Ash, grab Misty and start kissn' her!" Brock whipped. "And none of the prissy stuff neither. We wanna' see some action."  
  
  
  
"What?! No way!! You're crazy."  
  
  
  
"Yea! Ash is right Brock!! That's going too far!"  
  
  
  
"Hey. You're the one who asked for my help." Brock said as Tracy just shook his head and smirked. "Brock's right guys. If you guys want to make it believable you gotta' pull on some serious acting skills."  
  
  
  
"Ugh! Fine! Just hurry up and make it quick."  
  
  
  
"WHAT?! Are you serious?!" Ash yelled half shocked and surprised.  
  
  
  
" Well I said so didn't I?! Look, Brock and Tracy are right. If we can't even touch each other in front of her, then she'll never buy it. So just hurry up and do it before I change my mind."  
  
  
  
"Okay.. If you say so." Ash replied. "Close your eyes."  
  
After she did so, Ash did the same. He hesitated a little, but after a moment or so he leaned in closer. So close that the slightest move and he'd fall right smack into her face. He could feel her breath on him. Ash opened one eye and peaked to the side to see Tracy and Brock standing there grinning like idiots, beckoning him to continue. So he closed his eyes, and leaned in just about ready to..  
  
  
  
  
  
"ASH!!!!"  
  
"AHHH!!!!" Ash yelled before loosing his balance and falling strait onto Misty, who in turn lost her balance under all of Ash's weight.  
  
"ASH!! Lunch is ready!!" Mrs. Ketchum yelled calling from inside the kitchen.  
  
Ash groaned and picked himself up off of Misty. Brock and Tracy were rolling on the ground with laughter by the time he was up on his feet.  
  
"Okay Mom!…" Ash yelled back.  
  
"Guess we'll have to try again tomorrow." Misty replied propping up on her elbows.  
  
  
  
And so, despite the fact that the lessons were cut short right when Ash and Misty were faced with the toughest test, at least they had a little more help. But If Ash and the gang wanted to get everything right before Avery's big arrival, they'd have to work quickly. There was only one day left!!  
  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Okay, I know I said I'd try to get this one out sooner, but I had finals, and tons of school work weighing on me. And, to be honest, I did sit myself down in front of my computer to try and think up the third chapter, but nothing came to me. But don't worry! It's here, it's done, and now all I have to worry about is Chapter Four! Ah! Thanks For reading! Oh! And Ii can't forget about those great reviews! I love you guys! See ya!  
  
  
  
LittleTrix… 


	4. Mommy's Miss-Notion

Fathomless Favor  
  
  
  
By LittLetRiXta  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon, we all know I don't and we all know who does, so enough discussion on that matter and onto the good stuff.. (heh, aint that an over-statement..)  
  
  
  
Genre: Romance/ Humor? (This chapter won't be really funny. Sort of more on the general/dramatic/suspense side then under the humor category. I think.)  
  
Author's Note: Once again.Replies were great.I love them all, and you were all so sweet to write them! Thanks so much for your support!  
  
Little-Trixta  
  
  
  
Fathomless Favor- Chapter Four: Mommy's Miss-Notion  
  
  
  
My Dearest Togepi,  
  
Ash and I must have made a couple million attempts for a practice kiss this morning. Gee, that's a sentence I never thought I'd find myself saying. I'm either intoxicated and completely unaware of it, or just in a really good mood. The past week has been really weird, and not at all routine check, but I said I'd go through with it, and I guess I have to keep my word. Anyway, After about the million and twenty fifth attempt, Brock finally came to the conclusion that maybe we'd better forget about the whole practice thing and worry about it when Avery finally comes. I guess it kind of makes sense. I mean, who practices for a kiss? Especially their first. Okay so there's Brock, but that's different. When it comes to him and the opposite gender everything is unexplainable in itself. I always figured that when the right time came for a first kiss, there was nothing to stand in the way. It would just come. Cheesy and scripted, I know. But, when you think about it, what greatest romance story contains five or six scenes of practicing for the final kiss? I mean, Romeo and Juliet didn't exactly practice for that last scene with the daggers and poison. I guess what I'm really trying to say is, if it's gotta' look real, it can't be rehearsed. If I explained any of this to the guys they would think I'm crazy, I just know it. Besides, Ash thinks Romeo is some kind of beer label, and Juliet is a sports drink. That idiot. I just realized how hungry I am. At lunch, Brock made me and Ash go over those stupid cliff notes he typed up for us. What are we going to do when Avery comes? Pull out our little index cards and name the other's favorite food when we "supposedly" forget? I've spent the last four years eating breakfast, lunch, AND dinner with Ash. It's not exactly hard to forget. Most of what I eat is what Ash eats anyway. And I know this for sure because I've caught Ash stealing my baloney right out of my sandwich when he thinks I'm not looking. If that's not enough practice, I don't know what is. Ash is my best friend. And that's all I'll need to know about the buffoon if I'm going to play his girlfriend for the next couple of weeks.  
  
Plus, this Avery girl, who STILL hasn't shown up is really starting to bug me. We talk about her as if she's actually here. I'm starting to think she's not even real, and Ash is just fooling with me. But then again, why would he go through all the trouble? I don't know. I need sleep. . .  
  
  
  
"Ash honey, you're not eating your pancakes." Delia Ketchum worriedly pointed out as she watched her son make an imprint in her kitchen table with his chin.  
  
"I'm not hungry." Ash sulkily replied, stirring the syrup around his pancakes with his fork.  
  
"Not hungry?! Ash, are you alright? Let me feel you're forehead." Delia panicked.  
  
"No Mom, I'm alright. Really. See." Ash said smiling flatly.  
  
Brock and Misty exchanged glances. They knew exactly why Ash was acting the way he was. Today was the day Ash had been dreading the whole week. . .  
  
. . . It was the day Avery would be coming.  
  
Ash sighed and stood up. He took ten, long, dragging steps to the sink and began the even slower process of washing his plate.  
  
Misty shook her head and planted her forehead into both palms of her hands. It was the first time she had a plate full of untouched food and Ash didn't even bother looking at it, much less try to snatch a piece.  
  
She was trying so hard to be the stable part of the operation, but she was starting to doubt whether or not she was ready to pull it off. By the looks of it Ash sure wasn't, and if Ash wasn't it just doubled the fact that she wasn't. . .  
  
It was all too much to think about.  
  
In another corner of the kitchen table, a concerned Mrs. Ketchum who hadn't the slightest idea of what was going on stared at her son, then to Brock, then over to Misty, who at the moment was making a very good impression of "Ash three minutes ago".  
  
Brock on the other hand could feel the bead, which was a little more like a river, of sweat cascade it's way down the side of his face. The tension was just too much to bear. And to top it off, Mrs. Ketchum wouldn't stop looking at him. It was like he was being cornered in a grudge match between himself and the champion's Mother, of all staring contests. There just had to be some way he could snap Ash and Misty out of their temporary "doom" dazes, before Mrs. Ketchum would start asking questions. And he just had the ever-so-sure feeling he would be the one who would have to answer.  
  
Brock suddenly found his sausage extremely fascinating.  
  
'Isn't Ash done with that plate yet?!' Brock mentally asked himself.  
  
And so, for the first time in his life, Brock tried to master the ability to look up, and diagonal, while keeping his head exactly parallel to the floor.  
  
Yep. He was still washing that plate. Ash could set a record at the rate he was going.  
  
Brock's eyes flickered to the right in attempt to try to see if Mrs. Ketchum was still cornering him with mental thoughts of 'You know something about these two that I don't, don't you. Brock, as guardian of my little boy for the past something and something years I hold you responsible for whatever's going on." Yea that sounded about right. Not at all pleasant, but he could just picture himself stranded in the middle of the countryside being forced to steal sunflower seeds from a local farm.  
  
"Brock. . ." Oh no. Here it was. He was dead. And he never even got the chance to see Bristy Pears In concert!  
  
" I have to speak to you for a moment. . ." Mrs. Ketchum said raising from her seat.  
  
Brock gulped and turned to look at his friends. Misty was practicing different versions of her "Hello, Avery." Greetings. And yep. As suspected. Ash was STILL washing that dish. That stupid dish that looked like it was starting to get a hole rubbed through it.  
  
Brock arched his eyebrows. If Ash's intention was to wash that dish until Avery was gone, he really didn't think that would work.  
  
"Brock!" Mrs. Ketchum called sternly. Brock jumped and entered the living room.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum was standing next to the little coffee table with her hands on her hips and bitting the bottom of her lip. Brock had never seen Mrs. Ketchum so upset before. Well, except for that time she found a dozen of Ash's dirty "We-all-know-what's" in his backpack un-cleaned, and practically un-sanitary.  
  
"Okay Brock. I have a really strong feeling something's going on here. And you seem to be the only one willing to answer at the moment. So I'm going to ask you once, and I want an honest answer."  
  
Brock nodded.  
  
Mrs. Ketchum inhaled.  
  
"Are Ash and Misty. . ."  
  
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Brock was sure of it. This was the longest period of silence he would endure over the course of his life time. He couldn't say they WERE, because Ash would kill him. And then Mrs. Ketchum would kill Ash. And he couldn't tell her what they were REALLY up to, because Ash would kill him. . . Aaaand Mrs. Ketchum would STILL probably kill Ash.  
  
  
  
". . . afraid to tell me they don't like my pancakes?" At that moment Brock felt oxygen go back into his system.  
  
Wait. Pancakes? PANCAKES? This whole time he had been worrying about what to tell Mrs. Ketchum about Ash and Misty's little deal, when all she had been suspicious about was PANCAKES?  
  
"Yes."  
  
Mrs. Ketchum sighed. "Well, I have honestly got to say. I am shocked."  
  
"NOO!!!" By this point it was obvious Ash had stopped washing the dish, and was standing at the kitchen entrance beside a horror stricken Misty.  
  
Ash ran to where Brock and his mom stood and dropped at his mother's feet.  
  
"Mom, I'm sorry!! But I have to do it! I have to!! She drives me insane!! Please don't be mad Mom!!" Delia stared down at her son shocked and even more confused then she was to begin with.  
  
Brock stared on in terror. He just HAD to stop washing that dish.  
  
"Ash honey, what ever are you talking about? Have to do what? WHO drives you insane?" Delia asked repositioning her hands back onto her hips.  
  
Ash froze. Misty froze. Pikachu, who had just joined in to see what all the commotion was about froze. He didn't know why, but that's what everyone else was doing.  
  
"Uh. . ." Ash was at a lose of words. He just got the undeniable feeling Brock and his mom hadn't been talking about what he thought they were talking about.  
  
Suddenly Ash felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"He means me Mrs. Ketchum! He has to uh. . . clean his "you know what's!". I've constantly told him that you just wouldn't approve of such an uncleanly habit, and although I know it drives him insane, it was only right that I told him. And that's what he has to do. Clean his "we know what's"."  
  
By now Ash's whole face was red. He didn't know what was worse. Having almost been caught and nearly killed, or stand aside and watch his best friend, who happened to be a female, go on about his dirty unmentionables to his own mother. It was a tough world. . .  
  
Delia stared in disbelief. "Ash," Mrs. Ketchum paused ". . . is this true?"  
  
Ash turned to Misty. He could NOT believe she had put him in this position. . .  
  
. . .Okay, so it was kind of his fault to begin with. But did she really have to use his underwear as an alternate motive?  
  
"Yes. " Ash answered shutting his eyes in agony and complete embarrassment.  
  
"So uh, go ahead Ash. Go do it." Misty said shoving Ash toward the laundry room.  
  
So, all in all they ended up with a clean save. Despite all that awkward mix-up, Delia seemed to buy the whole thing.  
  
" I swear. That boy and his "you know what's". I'm really starting to worry about his health issues." Delia went on to herself as she re-entered the kitchen, leaving Brock and Misty to collapse on the couch out of relief.  
  
An hour and thirty two pairs of washed underpants later. . .  
  
  
  
"Three hours till Avery shows up." Brock counted off staring at the clock on the wall.  
  
All three were sitting on the couch in lazy positions staring at the blank television screen. Misty had her head hanging nearly off the arm rest with her right arm sticking out over the side and her left hand rest under her head. Ash was laying sideways with the back of his head near her knees. And Brock was sitting upside down with his legs over the back side of the couch and his head in dangerous proximity to Ash's feet.  
  
They were a sad looking crowd alright. . .  
  
"I can't stand it." Ash muttered from under a pillow. " Let's do something."  
  
"We can't. You're Mom took the car to go grocery shopping."  
  
"Well, we could always walk. That's never stopped us before." Ash replied throwing off the pillow.  
  
"Ash, it's a hundred and six degrees outside. We'll be crisp by the time our feet hits the welcome mat near the front door." Misty said raising her upper body.  
  
"Call Tracy to come and get us."  
  
"And how do you propose he do that?" Misty asked crossing her arms.  
  
"I dunno'. He could. . . "Borrow" Oaky's car and drive down and get us!" Ash said.  
  
Brock and Misty looked at each other then at Ash.  
  
"You're asking TRACY to steal Professor OAK'S car? You've got to be kidding. The guy worships his anything he touches." Brock said.  
  
"Does Oak even HAVE a car?" Misty asked receiving a shrug from all male persons in the room.  
  
"Well, there's no way I'm gonna' sit around for the next three hours. We can handle it, right Pikachu?" Ash said looking to his little electric mouse who in turn disappeared into the kitchen.  
  
Ash sighed. "Well, if you guys don't wanna' come, I'm goin' by myself. Say hi to Avery for me!"  
  
Misty's eyes widened.  
  
"On second thought, I think I'll come with you." Misty said getting up to fetch her shoes.  
  
"You comin' too Brock?" Ash asked the last of the three who was now sitting upright position with the remote in his hand.  
  
Brock looked up to his two friends standing at the front door and shook his head.  
  
"Nah, I think I'm gonna catch up on my sports." Brock grinned as he turned his vision back to the television set engulfed with pretty women in bathing suits playing volleyball.  
  
"Okay. If you say so. Come on Misty." Ash said leaning to opening the door.  
  
"Mime." Mr. Mime stated stopping Ash before he could reach the handle.  
  
"What is it Mime?"  
  
"Mime." Mr. Mime pointed to the ground where Togepi's short figure stood juggling a knife, a fork, and two spoons.  
  
"Brock can watch it." Ash said to Misty.  
  
Misty looked over to the melted form on the couch with it's tongue hanging out.  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
  
  
The now, duet, of the trio soon saw the Pallet Town Water Fountain come into view. It was surrounded by a bunch of wet kids running around laughing their heads off. The fountain was pretty huge, and centered in the middle of a large ring of shops and boutiques.  
  
"Wow. How come you've never shown us this place before." Misty asked staring around in aw.  
  
"Because. Usually I'm too busy using up my time training. But today's an exception. I'm too worked up over Avery to train." Ash replied before chugging down the rest of his water bottle.  
  
"Uh huh . . ." Misty slyly replied before pulling her shirt off and revealing her bathing suit, making Ash choke on his water in the process.  
  
"You okay, Ash?" Misty asked half grinning.  
  
"Uh. Yea. Heh." Ash squeaked.  
  
As Ash tried his best to pull himself together, Misty spotted an ice cream stand a few paces away.  
  
"I'm gonna go get us some ice cream."  
  
Misty shook her finger. "Ah, ah, ah. I'm afraid I can't let that happen. See, If you get the ice cream, by the time you come back I'll be left with nothing."  
  
"Ha ha. Very funny." Ash said before sticking out his tongue.  
  
"I'm only telling the truth." Misty said before waltzing off to get the iced cream.  
  
  
  
"Two triple scooped vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream cones for the little lady." The ice cream vendor said handing Misty both cones.  
  
"Thanks!" Misty replied. She looked around. She couldn't see Ash, nor the little egg anywhere.  
  
'Ugh. That lug head. Well, I guess I'll have to eat them both myself before they melt." Misty snickered staring down at both ice cream cones.  
  
"Um. Excuse me." Misty heard an eerily familiar voice say.  
  
Misty looked up and saw a practical image of herself with brown hair and almost dropped both ice cream cones.  
  
"Hi. Sorry to bother you, but by any chance, would you happen to know the way to the Ketchum residence? I'm kind of lost."  
  
  
  
And Eventually. . . A Minute Later . . . Misty actually DID drop both ice cream cones.  
  
  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Okay first of all, the whole dirty underwear thing.purely disturbing. I know. I am -truly- sorry.  
  
I know this chapter was really draggy and took forever to get to the point, but that's just the way it came out. So bare with me. Hoped ya' liked! Thanks for reading! I'm here till Wednesday! (*Clears throat* I'm kidding.) ^_^;;;;;;  
  
LittleTrixta 


	5. Familliarizing Avery Revised

Fathomless Favor  
By LittLetRiXta  
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon, we all know I don't and we all know who does, so enough discussion on that matter and onto the good stuff.. (heh, aint that an over-statement..)  
Genre: Romance/ Humor(???)  
  
Author's Note: I know it's been a while.but I honestly didn't know what I'd be doing with chapter five..So, I hope this lives up to what you guys expect!! Have fun, and remember.If you don't feed little review box with replies.he will DIE.  
  
Is that REALLY what you want?..THINK about it..  
  
.other then that.  
  
HAPPY READING!  
  
Little-Trixta  
Fathomless Favor- Chapter Five - Familiarizing Avery  
  
Dear ripped piece of paper I tore out of Brock's poetry book for Joy,  
  
Seeing as how this may or may not be my last day on earth after Avery gets finished with me, I figured it only right to mark down my last words. Avery finally showed, and turns out she looks a lot like Misty, ha, which is really funny. Misty doesn't seem to think so though, she threatens to pound me every time I mention it. Even though she keeps denying the fact that her and Avery look alike, she's been all spooked since we got back from the Fountain. She won't look at me or Avery. And to tell the truth I don't want to look at Avery that much either. It's really creepy. Guess, seeing as how I was six and all I didn't really notice or care what she looked like. Heck, most of the time I was being chased by her, I really didn't have the time to notice.  
  
I don't got much space left, and besides, I think Avery's starting to figure out where I am. Six years later, and a cabinet really ain't a good place for a guy to hide in. I haven't been this scared in my whole life. Well, there was that time when my mom forced me to help my Aunt Edna fold her panties, but that was then, and this is now, and now I gotta go because lunch is ready.  
  
-Ash  
"Ash, what are you doing? Your mom told me to come find you, so hurry up. Lunch is almost ready." Misty said pushing aside the cabinet door to reveal a very awkward positioned Ash bound to a pile of floral print towels.  
  
"Trying to hide from Avery, that's what. She gave me weird looks the whole way back."  
  
"Just, hurry up will you? Your Mom refuses to start lunch unless your there. And thanks to you're going off to battle some rookies, and leaving me to tend to the arrival of the "honorable" Avery, I lost BOTH our ice creams." Misty said turning around to head back down the hall to the living room.  
  
Once Ash caught up with Misty he figured it was the right time to stir up a conversation on the question that was bugging him the whole way back home. "You're not gonna back out are you?" Ash asked now walking shoulder to shoulder with Misty.  
  
"Why would I do that?" Misty said looking forward, and seemingly not getting his point.  
  
"Well, because I figured you'd feel all weird. You know, with her looking like you and all." Ash muttered as Misty came to a halt. She turned with fire almost blazing in her eyes. "I TOLD you. We look NOTHING alike. Okay? NOTHING! First, She has brown hair, I have red hair-  
  
"That's funny. I always though it looked kinda' orange-ish."  
  
"IT'S RED!" Misty tried to make perfectly clear as she grabbed at her pony tail and almost shoved it into Ash's face.  
  
"Secondly, HER pony-tail is on the right, NOT LEFT, right. AS YOU CAN SEE, My hair is no where within that area." Misty pointed out making physically clear the difference between the left area of her head, from her right.  
  
Ash cleared his throat, "Ya know, if you tied it on the other side, then yea it would be-  
  
"NO! We are different! OKAY?! PERFECTLY DIFFEREN'T." Misty huffed and turned on her heal into the living room, leaving Ash to stand dimwittedly in the middle of the hallway wondering what it was he said that was wrong.  
" The sandwiches you prepared were just delightful Mrs. Ketchum." Avery said finishing her last bite and pulling on the sweetest, most joyful face she could, causing Misty to gag on her potato chip.  
  
"Oh, thank you Avery. That's very sweet of you." Said Mrs. Ketchum who pulled on a just as delightful face to match Avery's.  
  
The group now sat in the living room in even sets on the couch and recliners. There was an awful, and almost terrible silence that filled the room, and Mrs. Ketchum, noting this, felt it was her duty to rise up the best conversation she could under the current circumstances.  
  
"So, Avery dear. How long will you be staying with us?" Mrs. Ketchum began. Avery seemed to pause for an awful long time, as she contemplated her thoughts over this seemingly simple question as if she were purposely trying to test Ash's patience.  
  
"Well, let's see." Avery began. ". I'm pretty sure.." Avery continued, although not really looking as though she knew the answer to begin with.  
  
Ash, on the other hand, felt he would explode at any minute if she didn't just say it already. He watched as she folded, and re-coiled the plates in her skirt. One minute she looked as though she would say something, and then she would hesitate, stop, then shake her head, and begin to count off with her fingers.  
  
It drove him insane. 'SAY IT ALREADY!' He wanted to scream. But he didn't. Instead, he looked to the right of him where Misty sat. From what he could see, she had a rather irritated look spread across her face, and she was fiddling with her hands, and cracking her knuckles as though she wanted to just beat the answer out of Avery.  
  
It really was funny how much Avery and Misty looked alike. It was easy to tell that they had separate personalities just by looking at them. Avery's dress was pressed and pleated to perfection, and she held herself so easily as if she were in some type of reform school. While Misty leaned back comfortably against the couch with her legs pulled in by her side and her left arm supporting her head as though she were sitting in her own home. They were obviously different people inside, but Ash still couldn't shake off their striking similarities.  
  
"Oh, yes. I remember now. Mother says I can stay for the maximum time that you're comfortable with Mrs. Ketchum." Avery finished off, before turning to grin at Ash, who at the moment felt it rather hard to swallow.  
  
That was the last thing he wanted to hear. He knew his Mother as well as anyone, and he knew very well that she was the woman who brings her entire garden in for winter just so that they won't die out in the cold before summer. And if he knew her well enough as he thought, he was sure Delia would tell Avery that she could stay as long as she wanted. But that was certainly not what Ash wanted, but he couldn't say that, or else his Mother would see to it that Ash would never know the words television, TV, or human civilization again.  
  
There was also the terrible fact that Delia thought of Avery as the daughter she never had. She always chose Avery's side, whenever Ash would rat Avery out to his mother for touching his game boy again, or for messing around with his "stuff".  
  
She would always say, "Now Ash, that's not nice. Avery can touch whatever she wants while she's here, she's our guest." And she always would. She would claw at his things like a rabid kitten.  
  
And he hated it.  
  
"Why, you can stay as long as you like!" Delia proclaimed as she clasped both hands together in excitement. And by the look on Avery's face, and that weird look she gave him, he KNEW she'd definitely take his mom up on that offer.  
Misty smirked as she watched Ash pace back and forth like an army soldier not at all ready to march into battle. The three were now hanging outside scheming their last efforts on rebelling against Avery. Misty was sitting cross-legged on the ground with her elbows into her knees and her hands into her chin. Brock was leant up against a tree carving inscriptions of his name and various un-accountable Jenny's, and Avery was at the market with his mother.  
  
"Their probably picking out draperies for me and Avery's wedding ." Ash muttered as he slumped down beside Pikachu.  
  
"Well, at least now we have some spare time to think up our plans on what to do with this whole insane situation." Misty said picking at some grass, and throwing it at a near by stump she visualized to be Avery's face.  
  
"Yea. So what do we do?"  
  
"Hm. . . " Brock began, pretending to look as though he were thinking hard by patting his chin with his index finger. "Well, first we have to make Avery aware of the fact that you two are some kind of 'item'." Brock said directing Ash. "She doesn't know that yet, remember. So, let's say, when Avery and your mom come back from the market, you and Misty are no where in sight. And when she asks me where you two are, I'll say that you guys went on a walk or something, and from there I'll give her the whole "history lesson" on you guys."  
  
"But, I don't want to walk. We already took a walk to get here!" Ash whined.  
  
Misty frowned. "Do you want us to help you or not? It's the only plan we got right now, so just go along with it."  
  
Ash huffed, then gave in. "Ok, fine."  
". . . And that's when I decided to become a Pokemon Breeder." Brock finished off, as Avery's dull expression lost effect and took on something more similar to relief.  
  
"And, what did that all have to do with where Ash and Misty went?" Avery asked arching her brow, and crossing her arms with great interest in Brock's answer. Far more interest then anything Brock had said in the past half hour.  
  
"Oh, yea. They went on a walk. They're boyfriend and girlfriend you know, just thought I'd ought to mention that. No reason. And definitely not for the sake of any scheme or anything." Avery suddenly felt the urge to question this boy's sanity, while Brock closed his eyes as if approaching a more dramatic state of mind.  
  
"Speaking of walks. I like those too. I especially like long walks on the beach in the summer time. I feel they're the best way to get intimate with a person, and really get in TOUCH with eatchother. I guess you could say I'm just THAT kind of guy. You know, intimate, and PERSONAL. You know what I mean?" Brock noting the silence that suddenly took on the room, and the sense that he had spent the last two minutes of his INTIMATE conversation with himself, Brock opened his eyes. His assumptions were clarified by the dusty trail of footprints leading out the door and down the road where Ash and Misty had left off to, and the perplexed Pikachu and Togepi staring back at him from the kitchen counter.  
  
"I feel SO. . . UNWANTED."  
"Wait! That was a trick question wasn't it."  
  
Misty and Ash had been walking for the past forty five minutes and were just about at the brink of complete boredom as they finished up their rather ASTOUNGING game of "Twenty Questions".  
  
"I'm bored again. Can't we go back now?" Ash asked as he kicked a stone along the ground.  
  
"I don't know. Brock forgot to mention how we'd know when to come back. I guess we can give it a couple more minutes, and then we can head back." Misty replied as she fell upon the grass.  
  
"Well, then what do we do in the meantime?" Ash asked as he collapsed onto the grass along side Misty.  
  
"Hm. We could always battle." Misty grinned, knowing very well what Ash's answer would be, as she watched his face brighten up.  
  
"Alright!" Ash cheered excitedly as he reached down for one of his Pokemon only to feel clear air. His face dropped as he remembered he left them up in his room before they left.  
  
"AW! I left um back at home." Ash replied with a sullen expression.  
  
"Well, that's okay. We can do something else."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Misty looked around for a little before I grin began to play across her face. "I have an idea." Said Misty as she turned to face Ash, who began to notice an almost sinister expression replacing her playful grin.  
  
"What kind of . . . idea?" Ash asked nervously, who already knew he'd later regret asking.  
When Delia entered the house from another great day of gardening she noticed the silence that she hadn't heard since Ash and his friends returned home. Placing garden hat upon the counter, and greeting Mime who was busy sanitizing the garbage disposal, she walked upstairs, figuring she'd find some form of human life in the higher grounds.  
  
As she reached the top of the stairs she began to call out the kid's names, hoping for some type of response.  
  
"Ash!" Nothing.  
  
"Brock!" Silence.  
  
" Misty?"  
  
"Mmph!" Delia stopped short. She heard a sound coming from Ash's room, but the door was closed.  
  
"Kids? Are you in there?" Delia slowly approached Ash's door and lightly knocked, only to receive another strange murmur of "Mmph!!" Even louder then before.  
  
'What on earth?'  
  
As she grew closer to Ash's door she began to hear a strange rustle. Now she was beginning to worry. What was going on in there? The weird noises, the silence in the house, the lack of noisy pre-teens stampeding through her living room. It was all too strange.  
  
Actually, when she thought about it, there had been a lot of strange things happening lately. And they sure had been acting rather strangely the day before. With all that talk about Ash's dirty unmentionables. Was it really appropriate that her son was discussing those types of things with his little female friends? There had been a lot of whispering and secret signals going around her house recently, and especially between Ash and Misty. But what on earth could they be hiding that they wouldn't want to let Ash's own Mother know about.  
  
Delia stopped. She didn't even want to think about what she couldn't help thinking about at that moment, but how could she throw that idea aside. She knew Ash wasn't her little baby anymore, but he was still too young for what she assumed he'd been hiding from her.  
  
'No. Stop it, Delia. You just had too much sun, that's all.' She mentally snapped at herself.  
  
Was it really possible that Ash and Misty were. . .  
  
Delia, panic stricken and overloaded with thoughts, suddenly burst the door open and gasped.  
  
There, bound to Ash's bed with duct tape and cellophane wrap was Brock, who was struggling to free himself. On the other side of the room, Pikachu sat engaged in Ash's game boy, while Togepi sat purring to itself without any care.  
  
"Oh, dear."  
"Are you kidding me? Girls don't wrestle. "  
  
Misty smirked. "What's that supposed to mean? I used to do it all the time with Daisy until she turned ten and discovered the meaning of 'mascara and eye shadow'."  
  
"Yea, but. . . you know. You're a . . ."  
  
"A WHAT? A GIRL? AND? It's not like I haven't pummeled you before Ash. So what're you so scared of? Is you're head really THAT enormous?" Misty said standing up while crossing both arms.  
  
"I don't fight girls." Ash muttered.  
  
"Oh, don't be such a boy. Just imagine I'm Brock or something." Ash choked. That quite possibly made things worse. Soon obscene images of Brock in an orange tank and red suspenders filled Ash's mind causing him to chuckle.  
  
"What're you laughing at?" Ash shook his head.  
  
He suddenly felt that frightening feeling re-enter his lungs again. His options were either to intentionally allow Misty to pound him into the ground, or refuse and let Misty pound him into the ground. And at the moment, neither option sounded good. But he couldn't just get up and run home, or he'd make a fool out of himself.  
  
God, what would his Mother think if she knew he was wrestling a girl.  
  
"Okay, fine. But no mallets, crow bars, or whatever weird stuff you have hidden in your stash of 'Beat the Ash.'"  
  
Misty smiled and agreed.  
  
Ash didn't exactly know how he should start, seeing as how he'd never wrestled before, much less with a girl. But he had seen the sumo wrestlers on TV, and usually before they begin they size eatchother down. So, that's what Ash did. And it was quite a sad day for wrestlers, because all Ash managed to do was look like a stray cat ready to pounce.  
  
Misty stood perfectly still, smirking with her arms still latched.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"You, obviously. You should see yourself. It's hilarious."  
  
And as she said this Ash jumped at her (rather bravely at that) , pinned her down by the sides and declared victory.  
  
"Hey!" Misty yelled. "Cheater."  
  
Ash looked down at the girl trapped beneath him and grinned. "It's your own fault. I warned you. But my strength was obviously too much for you." Ash gloated.  
  
"Creep." Misty muttered as she grinned playfully. "I was supposed to win."  
  
The silence was excruciating, as it seemed to last a long time, and they hadn't realized the awkward position they had put themselves in until they actually began to observe the position they were in. Ash suddenly felt an extreme heat rise to his face.  
  
"ASH!" They heard a voice call, and turned to see Avery standing at the edge of the road.  
  
"What're you guys doing?" Avery asked frowning at the obvious.  
  
"Uh! Ahh, nothing. We were just. . . looking at bugs." Ash lied pathetically as he immediately sprung off of Misty, who at the moment seemed to be boiling with annoyance.  
  
Avery nodded. "Okay. . ."  
  
"Let's go back, huh. You can help me unpack." Avery said smiling as Ash sighed in agony and was dragged along by the eager Avery. Misty in tow. From her position, she could almost swear she saw Avery turn back and glare at her.  
  
Misty took this as her cue to let her 'girlfriend' intuitions take action. With one swift motion Misty swept up between Ash and Avery and 'lightly' shoved Avery aside as she looped her left arm through Ash's. With a finishing touch, Misty leaned her head on Ash's shoulder as they walked arm and arm, with the raged Avery in tow.  
  
" Nice touch Mist'." Ash said, slightly above a whisper, as she winked back in response.  
  
"One thing though." Misty turned with a questioning expression.  
  
"Could you, uh. . . not hold so tight?"  
  
"Stop complaining." Misty said before whapping him. ". . . HONEY." She added with a mocking glare, hoping fully that Avery had heard that last remark.  
  
And so the alleged girlfriend, along with her alleged boyfriend, followed by a very steaming brown haired girl with obvious separation anxiety, walked home.  
Authors Note: Okay so the ending bites (BUT I WAS SO LONGING TO GET IT FINISHED.SO BARE!!), and I kinda mushed it up a bit. BUT SO WHAT! It needed just a little mush! IT WAS BEGGING FOR THE MUSH!!..okay I'll stop now. Hope you liked it anyway, and SOOOOOOOOORY times a sixteentrazillion (If there were such a number) for taking fifty years, but I really had no ideas of what to do. I am very aware of this chapter's crappy state and I apologize! Oh, and for you Brock fans, I didn't mean for that whole cellophane/duct tape scene to come out as bashing or anything. I just needed a quick insert! Oke'? Oke!  
  
P.S - THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF YOU WHO READ/REVIEWS FOR STICKING WITH ME THROUGH MY WHOLE WRITTERS BLOCK SITUATION! AND I'M HOPING VERY MUCH SO THAT NONE OF YOU WILL STRAY THROUGH MY NEXT CHAPTER!! THANKS AGAIN!!  
  
Bye! And remember what I said about our buddy the review box. . .  
  
Review Box: FEED ME.  
  
You hear the little guy! Come on! DO NOT LET HIM PERISH..  
  
Clears throat I'll go now.ehe. 


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